Debit Rewards Programs Are Available to Most Checking Account Customers, Both in the U.S. And the U.K.

Mercator Advisory Group releases new research on trends in consumer checking account ownership and market forces affecting debit card rewards

Boston, MA – February 24, 2016 – Decreases in checking account ownership as a result of competition from online-only banks and alternative financial providers, plus Millennials’ professed love for rewards have increased the importance of debit card rewards. Mercator Advisory Group’s latest research report, 2016 Annual U.S. Debit Rewards Review with U.K. Comparison, examines how the 50 largest banks and credit unions, plus the leading online-only banks in the U.S. are supporting rewards programs to help manage these market forces while balancing challenges with profitability.

“The market is showing greater reliance on merchant-funded discount networks (MFDNs), to defray the cost of rewards. Also, there is a slight shift toward relationship rewards which has some very practical opportunities. It allows financial institutions to promote or deemphasize certain products and services while allowing additional lines of business, to share in the support of these programs,” comments Sarah Grotta, Director, Debit Advisory Service at Mercator Advisory Group and author of the report.

This report also looks at the U.K. market and the role that rewards play in retaining consumers’ loyalty. The U.K. bankers are experiencing unprecedented competition from new financial institutions called “challenger banks” and a countrywide initiative to make it easier and faster for consumers to switch from their current banks to competitors.

Highlights of the report include:

Understanding the evolving consumer trends in checking account ownership in the United States

Changes in debit card ownership and usage

Review of market forces that impact debit rewards

Trends in the use of merchant-funded discount networks and relationship rewards

A survey of debit reward programs at the 25 largest banks and 25 largest credit unions in the U.S.

A comparison with U.K. banks and their use of account rewards

One of the 9 exhibits included in this report:

This report has 19 pages and 9 exhibits (including 3 appendix tables with reward program details).

Members of Mercator Advisory Group’s Debit Advisory Service and Global Payments Advisory Service have access to these reports as well as the upcoming research for the year ahead, presentations, analyst access, and other membership benefits.

About Mercator Advisory GroupMercator Advisory Group is the leading independent research and advisory services firm exclusively focused on the payments and banking industries. We deliver pragmatic and timely research and advice designed to help our clients uncover the most lucrative opportunities to maximize revenue growth and contain costs. Our clients range from the world’s largest payment issuers, acquirers, processors, merchants and associations to leading technology providers and investors. Mercator Advisory Group is also the publisher of the online payments and banking news and information portal PaymentsJournal.com.

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